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Saturday, June 30, 2012

Non invasive blood sugar testing

So Im on facebook, um, occassionally sometimes okay, quite a bit. I get a bunch of really interesting updates and one was on the accuracy of a relatively new non invasive blood sugar testing instrument. Forgive me if this post is awkward, Ive been up since 4.30am! More on that later, it was never my intention to make this blog about diabetes news or advertise products etc, but wouldnt you know it, one of the most popular blogs Ive written is regarding the Animas Vibe. Good news, its already included on the Australian private health cover prosthesis list, and the grapevine told me it would be released Down Under in the second half of the year :) Woo! Great news for Austrayyyyans.

I digress. Somehow it gives me hope and comfort to know theres scientists and researchers working not only on a cure, but on better management tools for my son to use in his lifetime. Pricking your childs finger and making them bleed sucks. Especially when your strip errors, or you hit a calloused spot and cant get any blood and have to re-do. The early days that would make me cry. Pricking my sleeping baby was... awful. The kid couldnt even catch a break in his sleep. Sad. Whats even sadder is now Ive done thousands neither He nor I flinch anymore.

Well, this technology is being developed by GROVE Instruments. It uses near infared glucose detection. What is it, and What does it mean?

No blood collection
No lancets
No pain
No strips
No swabs
Battery operated
Fits in pockets
Takes 20 seconds to measure real time blood glucose
See in the picture shes testing her earlobe? Also you can test the fingers according to their site.

Incase you havent heard, theres also special tattoo ink by Draper Laboratories (nano ink particles) that changes colour according to blood glucose. This is from TechCrunch.com website -

If the molecules mostly latch onto glucose, the ink appears yellow. If glucose levels are low, the molecule latches onto the glucose mimic, turning the ink purple. A healthy level of glucose has a “funny orangey,” color, according to Clark. The sampling process repeats itself every few milliseconds.

Theres also people working on using the fluid in the eyes to measure glucose. Apparently it worked in rabbits. Heres how the LOL cats do it.

Hope you all get some much needed rest. Have a great weekend everyone!

6 comments:

Thanks for sharing.. I am like you-yes we want a cure-but until then I am very thankful for new/better technologies to help our children live healthier until then. Sorry you were up all night! Hope you get some rest.. Love and prayers,Misty